Coordinated Armed Attacks Rock Mali as Fighting Spreads Across Multiple Cities

Coordinated attacks by armed groups have rocked Mali, with explosions and gunfire reported in Bamako and several cities including Gao, Kidal, Mopti, and Sevare. The military said it was repelling the assaults and claimed heavy militant losses, though this has not been confirmed. The separatist FLA and jihadist JNIM are said to have carried out joint operations, targeting northern and central areas. Fighting continues in some regions, while Bamako is under curfew and its airport temporarily closed. International bodies, including the UN, African Union, and US, condemned the violence and called for stronger action against insecurity in the Sahel.

Explosions and sustained gunfire were reported in Mali’s capital, Bamako, on Sunday, as armed groups launched coordinated attacks across several parts of the country.
The Malian military said on Saturday evening that it was actively working to repel the assaults, adding that some militants had already fled from certain areas. Fighting was also reported in Kati, which hosts a major military base just outside Bamako, as well as in Gao and the central cities of Sevare and Mopti. By Sunday, gunfire had resumed in Kidal in the north, according to reports.
Mali has long faced insecurity driven by insurgent groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, alongside a separatist movement in the north. Reports indicate that the assault by the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), which advocates for an independent ethnic Tuareg state, was mainly concentrated in northern cities. At the same time, the jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) carried out simultaneous attacks on multiple locations nationwide.
One analyst described the offensive as the largest jihadist attack in years.
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the FLA, told the BBC that the operation had been carefully planned over a long period and involved coordination with JNIM. He added that it was difficult to find any solution without their involvement and confirmed there had been cooperation between the groups. JNIM also issued a statement confirming that the attacks were part of a joint operation with the FLA.
The Malian military described the attackers as “terrorist groups” and claimed they had been “routed,” saying several hundred militants were killed. However, the BBC has not independently verified this claim, and reports suggest that fighting is still ongoing in some areas.
Ramadane stated that “we are in Kidal and it has not fallen completely,” adding that elements of the Malian army and Russian mercenaries were still present there. He also claimed that all entry points to Gao had fallen, although military camps remained under government control. Earlier, he wrote on social media that FLA forces had taken control of Kidal and were expanding their presence in central Gao.
He also shared unverified footage allegedly showing militants overrunning a Malian army camp and Russian mercenaries in Kidal, as well as a military helicopter reportedly shot down near Gao.
An FLA field commander involved in the Kidal offensive told the BBC that preparations had been underway for months, with the aim of blocking the road between Kidal and Tessalit to prevent reinforcements from reaching the city. He said the group’s immediate objective was to take control of Gao, after which Timbuktu would be easier to capture. AFP reported on Sunday that fighting had resumed in Gao as militants attempted to push out the remaining Russian fighters.
A local official confirmed to AFP that clashes between the Malian army, Russian forces, and rebel fighters were ongoing, with residents hearing continuous gunfire.
In Bamako, security checkpoints were set up along roads leading to the airport, and vehicles were being searched. Authorities also imposed a curfew from 21:00 to 06:00 local time for three nights.
The UK Foreign Office advised against all travel to Mali following the attacks and announced that Bamako International Airport had been temporarily closed.
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Mali, told the BBC that the incident appeared to be the largest coordinated jihadist attack in the country for years.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chair of the African Union Commission, said he was following developments with “deep concern,” strongly condemning the attacks and warning of the risk to civilian populations.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the violence, expressing solidarity with the Malian people. His spokesperson called for coordinated international support to address the growing threat of violent extremism in the Sahel and to respond to urgent humanitarian needs.
Similarly, the US State Department’s Africa bureau condemned the attacks, extending condolences to victims and reaffirming support for Mali’s government and people.
The Azawad Liberation Front has for years campaigned for an independent Tuareg homeland in northern Mali, where it holds significant influence. Mali is currently governed by a military junta led by General Assimi Goïta, who seized power in coups beginning in 2020, promising to restore security and defeat armed groups.
The junta initially enjoyed public support for pledging to end the long-running insurgency rooted in the Tuareg rebellion, which was later overtaken by Islamist militant activity. Following the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers and French forces after the coup, the government turned to Russian mercenaries for support.
However, despite these efforts, the jihadist insurgency has persisted, and large parts of northern and eastern Mali remain outside government control.